New Wakiso Giants coaching Staff:
•Head Coach – John ‘Ayala’ Luyinda
•Assistant Coach – Pius Ngabo
•Goalkeeping coach – Richard Kansole
•First Team Trainer – Hakim Ssenkumba
•Junior Team coach – Alex Kizito
•Team Doctor – Keith Walusimbi

Uganda Premier League side Wakiso Giants has unveiled John ‘Ayala’ Luyinda as the new Head Coach.

The appointment, as first earlier reported by The-SportsNation, was made in a press conference on Monday morning at Papo Restaurant in Kampala.

Ayala has been given a two-year contract until June 2024, with the option to extend for a further year.

The unveiling was done by Wakiso Giants CEO Sula Kamoga, Chairman Hassan Lule and head of Communications Ismail Kiyonga.

This will be Ayala’s first assignment as a head coach having previously worked as an assistant at KCCA FC, Police and Vipers.

He replaces Alex Gitta who parted ways with the club just before the end of last season.

Gitta’s assistants Isaac Ssekweyama, goalkeeping coach Swaibu Ssebagala and trainer William Kasozi have been shown exit door.

Ayala will be assisted by Pius Ngabo, Richard Kansole and former club player Hakim Ssenkumba.

Ayala Latest in Firing Line

How long will Ayala stay in his new role is the big question at the club whose aims are hard to explain.

Per the top officials at Wakiso Giants, there are enormous hopes to become a national powerhouse and it remains to be seen whether the decision to discard Gitta and hand the reins to the relatively green Ayala is in that direction.

Wakiso Giants were promoted in Uganda Premier League in May 2019, just after one season in FUFA Big League.

Ibrahim Kirya, the coach who delivered that meteoric rise to UPL, didn’t live to enjoy the fruits of his success in UPL after he was shown exit door.

Kisaala who had no job after being sacked by Express FC midway the previous season then, replaced Kirya to steer the club in their debut season in top flight.

He never saw his first birthday at the club after he was shown exit door after 11 games. He had won four, drawn once and lost six.

His assistant Steven Bengo was put in temporary charge in November 2019.

A high profile Livingston Mbabazi was later appointed that month to take charge.

But Mbabazi was sacked after just seven games following a string of poor results, where he won just twice against Bugoingo (Uganda Cup) and Onduparaka.

Deo Sserwadda was then brought in in February to finish off the season and the club finished 10th with 30 points.

Sserwadda was not given a permanent contract thereafter, and he was replaced by Douglas Bamweyana on June 24 before the start of the season.

He managed to stay at the club for a full season despite various reports of his sacking, and two games into the new season, he left his role on October 27, 2022 with losses coming against KCCA and Vipers.

Alex Gitta, Bamweyana’s assistant, was then appointed on interim and steered the club through last season before he left the team just before the season concluded.

It was Gitta’s effort that saw the club finish 7th, their best finish ever since joining top flight after 10th and 9th positions.

Wakiso Giants Pledge To Support Newbie

The Club has vowed to support the Ayala as he starts his new journey as a head coach.

Sula said that the management is so keen on following its vision of becoming the number one club on and off the pitch in Uganda.

And they have three core areas of focus that is the sporting element, financial aspect, social aspect and not taking away being professional and having the club brand image as the most important way of life at the club.

He added: “It should be noted that all the above focus areas work in a viscous cycle each supporting one another, and this is the most important factor each and every one of our human resource should always keep in mind.

“The key assignments for this technical team are very simple bearing in mind that the club has provided a very conducive working environment for our human resource.

“One – Sporting element: Help the team attain positive results, Maintain our identity and style of play at the club, Talent identification and management.

“Two is Financial management. The technical team is expected to help the club to break even, and this should be aided by the sporting element in the production of good results, identification of talent that makes business sense and maintain a style of play that can attract fans in the stadium.

“Three is Highest level of professionalism and having the club image and brand as a core. This club has taken time to assess the new technical team and we believe they have the necessary tools and skills that can help them prosper and excel at their job. We continue to commit as we have always done to support them in all ways.”

Ayala Here To Deliver

“I am limited by words but Iam more joyed and honoured to be named head coach of Wakiso Giants,” an eloquent Ayala told the eagerly awaiting press.

Ayala, a former Midfielder, played football for Water FC (Majji), Kampala United, SC Villa before joining KCCA FC where he started his coaching journey.

He has worked under the duo of Mike Mutebi and Sam Ssimbwa at KCCA, George Nsimbe at Vipers and Abdallah Mubiru at Police.

“The last 10 years as an assistant, I have worked with top coaches and prominent administrators,” he stated.

“Anyone who doubts my ability, is really doubting the ability of the former people I worked with.”

But will all know that coaching cannot be inherited, after all the likes of Aitor Karanka and Carlos Quiroz who worked with Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson respectively, failed to replicate a quarter of achievements of their former bosses.

“There are good players at Wakiso Giants and we project to bring on board same players of that stature,” he hinted.